The Policy and Resources Committee welcomes contributions from Members of the public to its discussion on agenda items. Contributions will be limited to one person speaking for and one against each item for not more than three minutes. Please note that in the event of registering your interest to speak on an agenda item but not taking up that right because the item is deferred, you will automatically be given the right to speak on that item at the next meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee. Details of the procedure and the list for registering the wish to speak will be available for a short period before the meeting.

In accordance with The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 any matters considered under Part I business only of the meeting may be filmed, recorded, photographed, broadcast or reported via social media by any person.

Recording and reporting the Council’s meetings is subject to the law and it is the responsibility of those doing the recording and reporting to ensure compliance. This will include the Human Rights Act, the Data Protection Act and the laws of libel and defamation.

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2. MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2017 (circulated separately).

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency. The Chairman to rule on the admission of such items.

4. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

To receive any declarations of interest.

POLICY

5. SERVICE PRESENTATION – ECONOMIC AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

6. PROPERTY INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND MECHANISMS FOR ACHIEVING ITS OBJECTIVE

This report informs Members of further details of the Council’s intended involvement in Property Investment and establishes more detail of the strategy. Additionally, in order to facilitate such activity, it is necessary to establish a standalone trading company, referred to as TradCo, which will act for commercial purpose when the transaction is not taken into the Council’s existing arrangements.

This report seeks Members’ approval to enter into a joint venture (JV) with Watford Community Housing Trust (WCHT). This JV is part of the Council’s property investment strategy, covered elsewhere on this P&R Committee meeting’s agenda.

This report seeks Members’ approval to produce a single Local Plan document and to approve a revised Local Development Scheme as required by Section 15 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011).

To advise Members that a partial exemption to the Procurement process was approved by the Director of Community and Environmental Services and the Head of Property Services under the Limited Market exemption and the Exceptional Circumstances exemption as permitted by the Council’s Constitution.

All businesses are required to pay National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR), however organisations that are registered as Charities or Community Amateur Sport Clubs (CASC) automatically receive 80% mandatory rate relief. The Council can award up to an additional 20% ‘top up’ to the mandatory relief or in cases of not for profit organisations up to 100% discretionary rate relief.

There is no automatic right for Charities or CASC organisations to receive the 20% discretionary rate relief organisations must meet the criteria set out in our policy.

If the Committee wishes to consider the remaining item in private, it will be appropriate for a resolution to be passed in the following terms:-

“that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as

defined under paragraphs 3 and 5 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in

disclosing the information.”

(Note: If other confidential business is approved under item 3, it will also be necessary to specify the class of exempt or confidential information in the additional items.)

1. Property Investment Strategy and Mechanisms for achieving its objectives